We have all had that experience. Casually walking our dog when a notification bell goes off on our mobile. You check and it's an urgent text message from your bank warning you that your info or credit card has been compromised and you need to take immediate action! It assaults your emotions and creates a sense of anxiety and urgency. You think it may be an error, but what if it is not? You were holiday shopping online last week – what if your card was compromised in one of those transactions? How do you protect yourself?
The answer is simple, don’t take the bait! Ignore it, Delete it, and Report it!
It’s a scam and the fraudsters are not just after your financial details, but your valuable personal information that can then be used for identity theft and worse.
It is a crime that reveals an intersection of risks between the Consumer Protection and Data Protection realms, and that resulted in the theft of significant amounts of money being stolen in the Channel Islands by criminals posing as HSBC in January.
The good news is that there are simple steps that can be followed to protect you and your personal information. In addition to warnings by Guernsey Police, on 15th January the ODPA issued a
Data Protection Advisory highlighting the following actions that can be taken to avoid falling victim to fraud:
1.
Practice vigilance with texts and emails. Texts and emails can easily be forged, attachments can contain malware that can steal your personal information. Someone you know may have had their account compromised.
2.
Be on guard for red flags. Is there an urgency to action or call-back? A link to a log in page? A phone number to call for help? An enticing attachment? Beware!
3.
Think before you click. Do you know this person or deal with this organisation? Is this how the person or company normally contacts you? Don’t open texts, attachments or emails without being sure of the sender.
4.
Protect your passwords. Use different passwords for different websites, accounts and devices. Two-factor authentication is best. And regularly update security settings!
Data Protection is everyone’s responsibility, by being vigilant and informed we can all do our part to protect ourselves and our community.
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Indulge